HUNDREDS of parents took to the streets around a primary school for a round of applause for the teachers.

The mass applause was for Plumberow Primary Academy in Hockley on Friday evening at 6pm.

Parents and pupils showed their appreciation of the school’s teachers and support staff and the work they have done to help children continue to learn despite national school closures in response to the coronavirus.

Organised by parent Jo Childs, whose son is in Year Two, the Clap for Plumberow followed in the footsteps of the Clap for the NHS in a show of gratitude on Thursday night.

Since the school closures, Plumberow Primary has continued to be open for children of key workers and for vulnerable children.

To help support children continuing to learn at home, the academy has provided a programme of learning for every child.

The academy has also recorded daily messages for the children on the school's website, to encourage the children to complete their learning tasks.

This has included reading stories to the Key Stage One children, setting further work challenges for the pupils, and celebrating the children's work with daily "shout outs" when completed work is sent back to school via email or Twitter.

Senior leaders have ensured that the academy has provided a constant source of daily communication for the parents and children, so that learning is not lost, and that relationships between the staff and children are maintained.

Jo Childs said: "After the humbling experience of clapping our wonderful NHS staff and all the frontline workers on Thursday last week, it got me thinking about the support and wonderful work at Plumberow to get such a massive project under way.

"Providing work books, online content, support, a safe place for key workers’ children, and general encouragement for all of the children and parents in such strange and unusual circumstances.

"The effort and thought that clearly has gone into ensuring that upon closure of the school this would all be up and running is outstanding.

"As a parent it has appeared to be a seamless transition with lots of fun for the children.

"I have been both impressed and amazed by the daily videos for the children, the presence of our executive head who is so passionate and encouraging about our school and all the pupils setting challenges and reading stories.

"So a well-deserved 'thank you and clap' felt very fitting to acknowledge each and every staff member.”

Headteacher Ian Barton said: "This started as a message on day one, to simply encourage the children to begin their work, but to also ask the children to support their parents at this difficult time, by completing the work without fuss.

"When we celebrated the first day's work, it grew from there, so we looked at ways we could continue with the communication, hence the story reading, shout outs and challenges. We never imagined it would be so well received.

“When we heard about the Clap for Plumberow, we were humbled and appreciative.

"We can only offer a small amount of support to the community, when you compare to what the NHS staff are doing, but we are delighted that our fantastic school community has pulled together at this difficult time.”